Getting a 5 and 10 year Retirement Visa in Thailand

Yes there is a 5 and 10 year retirement visa

Yes there is a 5 and a 10 year retirement visa in Thailand, but it is technically the same. 

Thailand offers two types of long stay non-immigrant retirement visas to foreigners, category O-A, which has a validity of 1 year.

Then there is category O-X which has an initial validity of 5 years and is extendable for another 5 years, hence usually being called a 10-year visa. Please note that employment is restricted for all types of retirement visas in Thailand.

Are you eligible?

To be eligible for the O-X visa, you must meet the following requirements:

1. Be at least 50 years of age on the day of application.
2. You must be a national of one of the following countries, namely, Australia, Denmark, Finland,  France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.
3. You must have health insurance for the duration of the stay with an outpatient coverage of 40,000 baht per year and an inpatient of 400,000 baht per year.
4. You must have no criminal record in your country.
5. You must be free of the following disease and condition: Leprosy, Tuberculosis, Elephantiasis, Addiction (Drug/Alcoholism), or Third Phase Syphilis.
6. You must meet the one of the following financial requirements:
   1. A bank deposit of no less than 3 million baht in a Thai bank account.
   2. A bank deposit of no less than 1.8 million baht and an annual income of at least 1.2 million baht per annum.

Please keep in mind that the bank deposits must be maintained in full for at least one year, and at least 500,000 baht thereafter. 

If you meet all of the requirements listed above then you are eligible to apply for the 10 year O-X visa. 

What documents are required to apply?

If you are eligible to apply for the O-X visa, you must provide the following documents listed below:

1. Passport with a validity of at least 6 months on the day of application.
2. A completed and signed Visa Application Form which is available online on your local Thai embassy or consulate’s website.
3. A completed and signed Retirement Visa Application Form in addition to the Visa Application Form.
4. Passport-sized picture of yourself with white background, neutral expression and must clearly show your face. It also must be taken within the past 6 months.
5. Proof of meeting financial requirements:
   1. Bank statement and Guarantee letter showing the appropriate amount of deposit at a Thai bank according to the requirements as mentioned above.
   2. Bank statements with an annual income meeting the financial requirements as mentioned above.

Please Note: All bank statements must be certified by Notary Public.

1. Letter of verification or Police certificate issued by the police department in your country stating that you do not have a criminal record which must also be certified by a Notary Public. (Must be issued no more than 3 months prior to your application).
2. Medical certificate showing no prohibitive diseases namely, Leprosy, Tuberculosis, Elephantiasis, Addiction (Drug/Alcoholism), or Third Phase Syphilis certified by a Notary Public. (Must be issued no more than 3 months prior to your application).
3. Proof of health insurance meeting the requirements stated above (Original policy documents and 2 copies).
4. Prepare the retirement visa processing fee of around $400. Processing time of your application takes at least 15 business days. 

How to Apply?

• Contact the Thai Embassy or Consulate in your country or visit their website to get information such as working hours and holidays.
• Make an appointment.
• Prepare all the required documents listed above.
• Submit the documents either at the Embassy or by Post (Check with your local Thai embassy/consulate as it may be different depending on the country you live in).
• After processing, collect your passport and visa.

Things to keep in mind after getting the O-X Retirement Visa

• You must also request a Certificate of Entry (COE) at least 15 days before your intended travel date to Thailand, this can be done online at https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/
• You must apply for a re-entry permit every time you leave Thailand otherwise your visa will be invalid.
• You still have to do the 90 day reporting throughout your length of stay which is when you go to the immigration office every 3 months to report or update your address.
• Initially, your O-X visa will be valid for 5 years, however you can apply an extension for another 5 years by submitting the supported documents listed below:
  1. A completed VisaExtension Application form (TM7).
  2. Signed copies of your passport.
  3. Proof of accommodation in Thailand.
  4. Proof that you continue to meet the same financial requirements as when you initially applied for the O-X visa.

If you are considering or are planning to retire in Thailand for the long term, you should definitely consider applying for the O-X retirement visa if you qualify because it saves you a lot of time having to apply for extensions every year during your stay. We hope you found the information we provided useful and wish you all the best to retire and spend your golden years in this beautiful country.